A Catch Is A Catch

The past two days of the holiday weekend, my husband and I have taken all the kids (5 the first time and 6 the second) fishing in our multitude of streams and lakes. Thankfully everyone caught a fish so we narrowly avoided a meltdown of “NO FAIRNESS!”

Every catch was celebrated and pictures taken as we, as a family, showed excitement for every fish regardless of size or fight given. We were winners because we reeled them in. (Personally I got a little hot under the gills – haha fish joke – because I was certain there was a big catfish eating my bait and I couldn’t catch him….but I will be back…oh yes, I will be back for him. I’m now hooked – another fish joke – on fishing although we operate on the catch and release program)

It was so much fun to watch their little eyes light up, dig their feet in and them fight each fish in (oddly I have bigger fish in my fish tanks at home) but it wasn’t the point of it. For a moment they started comparing who had the biggest, but we quickly adopted the mentality “a catch is a catch. Period.”

I was playing around on FaceBook this morning and a friend named Connie made the comment….

That’s exactly the heart-attitude Jesus desired from me when He said “I will make you fishers of men. Big or small, I want them all. A catch is a catch.”

Boy, that struck me in the heart. So many times I have been guilty of feeling unworthy or too little to bring many fish in. I haven’t always celebrated the “catch” because it just wasn’t big enough.

Her words reminded me that a person is a person (nobody is better or bigger than anyone else) and a catch is catch (no lost person was more lost than anyone else) a loss from God’s love is a loss.

Even Jesus told a parable about a man with 99 sheep and discovered 1 was lost. He left the 99 in search of the 1. So perhaps it’s not about megachurches or international podcasts. Perhaps it’s not about the Beth Moores (whom I adore so don’t take that wrong) or Joel Olsteens. Maybe it is all about just you and me. Making a difference in our churches, our communities and our families. Here are some small things we can be doing….

Pray in front of and with your children in the morning, night and every meal.

Take a chance on that person sitting alone on a pew and move from where you are comfortable to sit beside them

Find out who has needs and help meet them (painting a room, tending a garden, just getting them out of the house)

I’m sure you can think of some more so leave them in the comment section

WHAT DO I WANT YOU TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS STORY?

No matter the fight, if you stay vigilant and keep tugging, you will land a fish. Some people just need the right bait and they will take it and run with it spreading what changed their lives.

No fish is greater than another. Sure some are bigger and more illusive, but no fish can refuse the meal presented in front of them. Our hearts, as people, are tuned in one accord. Whether or not we care to admit it, we are all wired to believe in something, have faith in something and feel loved. We just have to carefully reel them in to that spot.

Every catch is special to the one reeling them in. No one catch is better than the other. They should all be celebrated equally, because our Lord celebrates them equally.

Have you ever reeled in “a fish” that you thought you’d never catch? Share it with me!

Do you need prayers for a “fish” that you’ve almost given up and cut the line on? Let’s keep the bait in together and keep trying.